Question for professional runners: Do you wear orthotics when running?

Orthoses are what you put in your shoes

orthotics is the scam "medical practice"

Thanks for your feedback. Could you please elaborate on your answer a bit?

Is your opinion based on experience, fact, or both?

From a former Semi Pro wannabe no. I did in high school and college. I removed them a couple years into my marathon career and my chronic plantar pain went away and has never been back.

Thanks for sharing! Glad to hear your plantar pain went away!

I recently got some orthoses fitted after a lengthy time out from running due to a knee injury. Saw multiple physios with little progress before seeing one who immediately identified a femoral anteversion. Have been gradually building up the running for the last month with the orthoses (alongside gym work) and although not perfect, the knee pain has improved considerably with the orthoses.

Pro runner here. (I won $100 in a small town 5K this summer. Career earnings ... $100).

Never wore orthotics

I'd like to add that I may have plantar fasciitis due to the insoles for high arches, and that I am training for marathons! My marathon PB is 3:06 (2022), and I hope to run CIM this December. I hope my plantar pain goes away by this December!

Sorry to hear about your femoral anteversion. I hope you recover fully and quickly.

Congrats in winning $100 in a 5K this summer!

Why on earth would you get orthotics if you were running fine without them?

Good question. I went to a running store and there was a professional-looking machine that scanned my foot. The machine said that I have high arches and recommended I get insoles for those high arches. Incidentally the company that made the machine also made insoles for high arches :).

But for the longest time I didn't realize that the high arches may have caused me to run at slower and slower paces. For the longest time I thought it was because I was running 100 miles/week, I had eaten something that disagreed with my stomach, didn't roll out enough, maybe had tight IT bands, piriformis issues, etc. It wasn't until today when I rolled my heel and the area around the heel with a ball that I could recreate the discomfort that I had when I run. Hopefully that makes sense.

Of course I'm not a doctor but I think it's highly likely I have plantar fasciitis. Yes, I ran literally about 3,500 miles without insoles for high arches and ran injury-free for the most part. Then I wore the insoles for high arches. I just couldn't believe that an insole for high arches could cause so much trouble. But this morning I noticed I couldn't roll up the insole for high arches like a fruit roll-up than if I were to roll up a regular insole like a fruit roll-up.

So you all are training through your plantar fasciitis?

Hobby Jogger here and I haven't been doing that. Feet would hurt every day - got some Altra Provision 6 to wear at work and my feet don't hurt as much - not sure. Have scaled down the running to almost 0. Looking forward to getting back out there after a month and seeing if the pain disappears while running.Pain was most prevalent in shoes that were right fitting.

No orthotics, but lots of pain. Thought I should at least get some non custom Superfeet or something.

Not pro, but my 1500 PR converted to a sub 3:55 mile. I always preferred light shoes and never wore orthotics.

if you run enough mileage and don’t have a physical defect in your feet, you’ll be fine after your economy and form improves.

No. And I'm guessing that almost all pro runners wouldn't.

For these reasons:

1. They're heavy (not super heavy, but when it comes to dropping weight - in your shoes is where it counts most).

2. If you have a muscle/tendon issue, it's likely caused by a weakness/imbalance. Do the appropriate strengthening exercises and the issue should resolve itself. So, short answer: Stop being lazy.

3. They alter your gait (perhaps only slightly) which inevitably shifts load to another part of the musculoskeletal chain.

4. People look like numpties when their ankles aren't sitting in their shoes properly.

I’ve worn orthotics since I was 16. I was doing intervals on the grass barefoot with my team and suffered a horrible soleus strain that took a month to heal. The doctor said that I pronated and I was a heel striker that also had high rigid arches. He fitted me for hard plastic orthotics and I had a fantastic season after. I’m now almost 50 and never stopped running or wearing them for the most part. I broke 16 min for 5K in my mid-40s, but I’ve suffered many various injuries over the years. However anytim I try to run a bit without orthotics and be more natural, I get crippling pain in my arch and soleus so I always go back to the orthotics. I feel like maybe I could take an extended time to rehabilitate myself without orthotics with a long slow build but I’ve always been afraid it would be a lost cause and I’d end up in a worse place. I just want to continue running.

Good troll but you have yourself away here way too early. Will still get bites 7/10

Lol yeah this will get tons of pro runners responses, I'm sure